


Best Man

by sistersophie



Category: The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 11:35:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17324291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sistersophie/pseuds/sistersophie
Summary: Jeremy reflects on a love story and his role in it.





	Best Man

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the "Picture Paints a Thousand Words" challenge on CHM Slash.

Of all the writing jobs Jeremy had ever taken on over his long career, this one was by far the most enjoyable. He was free to say whatever popped into his head. Of course, he would take the piss (whenever he wasn’t taking credit), but there would also be plenty of opportunities for him to express how he really felt about James and Richard.

Even from the beginning, it hadn’t taken long for him to spot the attraction between the two men. They weren’t fully aware of it themselves, or at least neither of them was willing to acknowledge it. Same-sex relationships still weren’t officially recognised by the government back then, even if British society was beginning to accept them more and more. But once marriage equality became the law of the land, it seemed to free them – particularly James, who had always wanted to do things properly. They had publicly come out as a couple just one day afterwards, and, with few exceptions, the reception to the announcement had been nothing short of gracious.

Jeremy had brought out a _Sun_ column in support of them, which was well received – and now another speech was finally taking shape on his laptop. He wouldn’t include all the details, of course – that would require him to speak for hours instead of minutes – but it was gratifying to sit here and go back through his memories.

_“I may have a crush on him,”_ Richard had whispered to Jeremy, his brown eyes wide and desperate, only two months after James had joined Top Gear. _“Help me out, here, Jeremy. How can this be? He’s pedantic, he’s old-fashioned…. he’s funny, he’s got the most amazing blue eyes I’ve ever seen….”_

Jeremy had agreed with all of it and was highly amused to watch Hammond slowly lose his composure over time whenever James came near him.

May, on the other hand, seemed to take longer to realise that he rather fancied a certain little Brummie pikey. _“He’s loud, he’s impulsive, he’s funny, and I can’t stop staring at his arse.”_ James blinked, as if trying to wipe the image away from his eyes. _“Is there something wrong with me, Clarkson?”_

No, not in the least. It was charming to watch them dance around their mutual problem for months. And then Jeremy finally caught them snogging in the production office early one morning – although “snogging” seemed like such a crude word for it. James and Richard were standing in a corner of the break room, completely unaware of Jeremy’s presence, palms caressing cheeks, eyes fixed on each other when they weren’t pressing their mouths together.

As someone who’d never really been inclined to partake in this kind of intimacy, Jeremy still found it fascinating to watch, at least for a few minutes, until discretion returned to him and he quietly stepped out the way he’d come in.

They’d both come into his cubicle only a few days later, explaining the situation, asking him not exactly for his approval, but for his understanding. He’d reassured them in every way he knew how – they were two consenting adults with no other attachments involved, and as long as they could keep on making great telly with him, he was completely happy with the arrangement – and he would keep their secret for as long as they needed him to.

He hadn’t really expected that this commitment would last for the better part of twelve years, but sometimes social progress didn’t always move as fast as one wanted. In any case, he was thrilled that he would be standing between them, two gold rings at the ready, when they exchanged wedding vows in only a few days.

Jeremy paused in his writing and stared around his permanent bachelor’s quarters, comfortable and familiar over the many years he had lived here. His gaze fell on a side table, where his favourite photo of his favourite couple rested. He had taken it himself, on a late summer day, after the three of them had discussed wedding plans over a casual dinner. James and Richard had been so happy and relaxed, talking about music and cake and flowers and decorations and other things that had nothing at all to do with scripts and travel and films and deadlines. They had even dressed similarly, in grey shirts and blue jeans. Richard’s top button had been left open the entire time, as if he had forgotten to fasten it, or if James had undone it during some surreptitious make-out session prior to coming to this meeting.

Jeremy had been utterly charmed by both men, in an entirely new way, after this conversation, and he had insisted on taking this photo when they parted for the day. The couple stood close together, James with his hands casually in his pockets, Richard with his held behind his back – as if they’d had to consciously restrain themselves from touching each other in such a public place. But their expressions were thoughtful and satisfied, and Jeremy was especially pleased with how he’d framed their bodies between the building columns with flowers and cars in the background.

He turned back to his computer.

_“James May and Richard Hammond are not only my colleagues, but my dear friends. What’s shown up on the television over the years is only a very small part of our relationship. There’s been blood, sweat, and, yes, tears behind the scenes that only the three of us have been witness to. It has been a great privilege to work with these two men to put on the best possible car show we know how to do. But it’s been an even greater honour to call James and Richard my friends, and no one – in the world – is more pleased for them on this day than I am. Their steadfast love for each other, in the face of longstanding and misguided prejudices, should be an inspiration to us all._

_“Please join me in a toast to their well-deserved happiness.”_


End file.
